Presently, the connection of metallic braid, constituting the screening conductor of an electric cable, is in the general manner effected by means of a copper or copper alloy ring treated by magnetostriction. The metallic braid having been, preliminarily, conveniently positioned on the zone or rear part of the connector intended for this, the mentioned ring, surrounding the braid, is brought to the region of this zone. The treatment by magnetostriction has the effect of causing sufficient shrinking or contraction of the ring onto the braid and thus assures the electric contact and the mechanical holding of the braid on the rear zone of the connector.
This operational arrangement is costly insofar as it necessitates a complicated and difficult to maintain apparatus for the treatment by magnetostriction.
Further, in the case of any necessary disconnection of the cable from the connector, this implies destruction of the ring, which can no longer be carried out.
It has recently been proposed to replace these copper rings with shape memory alloy rings able, under the effect of heating, to take a preliminarily memorised shape state then, by return to ambient temperature, to ensure the electric contact and mechanical holding of the braid on the rear zone or part of the connector.
For satisfactory operation, this type of contact presents however the inconvenience of the impossibility of reutilising the rings used, because of the absence of reversability of the passage from the memorised shape state permitting the mounting of braid onto the rear zone of a connector to the final state in which the electric contact and the holding of braid onto the rear zone of a connector are assured. Further, this type of ring permits in any case an overall radial deformation of the order of one 8%, which, in certain cases, can cause inconvenience in the mounting of the braid.